West LA Times

Many people may not realize that when they chew gum, they could be ingesting microplastic particles. A recent study by UCLA engineers has found that microplastics, which are small plastic fragments, are present in chewing gum. The research, conducted by associate professor Sanjay Mohanty and graduate student Lisa Lowe, suggests that regular gum chewers might consume tens of thousands of microplastic particles each year. However, the health effects of such ingestion are currently unknown.

The study was presented at the American Chemical Society's spring meeting in San Diego. Mohanty and Lowe evaluated ten brands of commercially available chewing gum. These included five synthetic gums, which use petroleum-based polymers, and five natural gums, which use plant-based polymers like chicle.

During the experiments, a subject chewed pieces of gum for varying durations, while saliva samples were collected periodically. It was found that both natural and synthetic gums release similar levels of microplastics. On average, 100 microplastic particles were released per gram of gum chewed, with some types emitting up to 600 particles per gram.

"We are not intending to alarm anyone," Mohanty stated. "Scientists are still unsure about the safety of microplastics on human health. However, we are aware of daily exposure to plastics, and that's what this study aimed to investigate."

Although the effects on humans remain unclear, previous studies on animals and human cells suggest potential harmful impacts of ingested microplastics. For those concerned about microplastic ingestion, the research indicated that 94% of the particles are released within the first eight minutes of chewing, suggesting that prolonged chewing of a single piece may reduce intake.